Chapter 40

There was a long silence on the phone.

Xiao Ziyu: "I'm full, if you have nothing else to do, then..."

"Xiao Ziyu," Yuan Heng interrupted, "You clicked on me."

His tone was as firm and ruthless as ever. Xiao Ziyu wiped his mouth with a napkin and said, "I'm just worried that the boss will become addicted to the exotic scenery and abscond with the money."

Yuan Heng said: "How can I escape if my most expensive asset is not with me?"

Xiao Ziyu subconsciously asked: "What assets?"

Yuan Heng raised his chin lightly: "Parents' love is the most precious thing in the world. Of course, what parents give is the most valuable."

Xiao Ziyu's breathing stagnated, and it took him a second to react, and he subconsciously hung up the phone. Yuan Heng is always one step ahead when it comes to shamelessness.

After having a midnight snack, I felt full and a little sleepy. Xiao Ziyu didn't touch the glass of iced American coffee in the end. He smiled apologetically at the bartender, then stood up and left the bar.

The next day when he returned to the crew, Luo Li ran towards him with a smile on his face: "Brother Xiao, the contract for Xunsu has come through!"

Previously, at the anniversary celebration of Chaoyang Culture, the casting consultant of "Xunsu" Huo Wenyi handed him a business card. However, it was a high-potential variety show launched by a large company after all, and the screening conditions were relatively strict. Xiao Ziyu subsequently participated in interviews and trial shoots, and the guest list was finally finalized after several rounds of selection.

After the program group expressed their intention to cooperate, Yuantai sent a special public relations person to negotiate the contract, and finally signed it at a good price. If the recording goes smoothly, the remuneration will be enough for Xiao Ziyu to pay a down payment on Blue Ocean.

"Who are the other guests?" Xiao Ziyu asked.

"The production team didn't disclose it, but they said there would be a pilot period before filming, which would allow the guests to live together and get to know each other and build relationships," Luo Li said. "They will probably notify us when the time comes."

"Okay," Xiao Ziyu took the pen and signed the contract.

"Teacher Xiao Xiao has a new job," Chen Churan passed by and said with a smile, "I've already become a fan. I will definitely support you when the time comes."

The scene being filmed today was quite special, so the crew got up early in the morning to start setting up. The costume and makeup team checked the clothes over and over again, and even staff members who were on leave came specially to watch.

Even Director Yang asked, "Xiao Ziyu, are you ready?"

Xiao Ziyu was confused, not understanding why everyone was making such a big fuss: "I can."

What I want to shoot today is Fang Jingshi’s women’s clothing.

In addition to an older brother who served as the prince's study companion, Fang Jingshi also had a second sister born to a concubine.

Although the second sister Fang Ruoyu was a concubine's daughter, she had a very strong character. She was proficient in calligraphy, painting, chess, and even good at horse riding and shooting. She also took good care of Fang Jingshi. Seeing that he had no mother and no one to protect him in the mansion, she often pawned her few jewelry to buy food for her younger brother.

However, such a daughter of a general was sent into the palace by her father and elder brother, becoming the adopted daughter of the old emperor and about to marry into Tibet as a princess of peace.

The Tubo people lived on a plateau and were nomadic all year round, with no fixed place to live, and their return date was far away. On the day the imperial edict was issued, Fang Ruoyu attempted to commit suicide by banging his head against the door, but was quickly stopped by the eunuchs and sent into the palace half-tied and half-bound.

What Fang Jingshi wanted to do was to hijack the marriage team halfway, rescue his second sister, and escape from the clutches of his father and brother. He had been waiting for his chance until...

On the day of the Queen's birthday, the old emperor held a grand banquet in the harem. The princes of the fiefdoms returned to the palace with their families to congratulate her, and the princes who already had concubines also brought their wives to the court.

Although Wei Zhouqi has no concubines, he can have a woman with whom he is in love. It would be too conspicuous to enter the palace as a man, so Fang Jingshi decided to disguise himself as Wei Zhouqi's concubine and be brought into the palace by him to meet his second sister.

Cross-dressing is a common plot in dramas. If done well, it can be like Hua Mulan joining the army and Zhu Yingtai wearing a ring, which can make people see the woman's strength and the man's gentleness. If done badly, it can easily become ridiculous, which not only disrupts the original rhythm, but also will be scolded by the audience as an eye-sore.

Actors usually have a hard time performing cross-dressing scenes, because the details of the opposite sex's perspective are more difficult to grasp, and any slight bias will make things look weird.

"Come, Ziyu, let's put on your makeup first." The makeup artist led Xiao Ziyu to the ladies' dressing table, struggling over what kind of makeup would be most appropriate.

Xiao Ziyu has a small frame and is thin overall, which does not suit the role of a charming beauty. Therefore, the tone of his makeup is rather cold. He wears a moon-white long skirt with plum blossoms embroidered on the hem, cranes on the sleeves, and cloud patterns on the chest. From a distance, he looks like an immortal, and from a close distance, he looks profound.

This requires that the makeup base should not be too heavy, otherwise it will appear inconsistent. The makeup artist was in a dilemma. She applied a layer of powder evenly, picked up the brush and said, "Let's try contouring first."

Xiao Ziyu's face was not fierce, but his jaw was round and pointed, his nose was delicate and straight, and he had all the necessary edges and corners. The makeup artist made some rough adjustments to make his face more neutral, and his eyebrows and eyes had a more androgynous beauty.

Chen Churan was watching from the sidelines: "Wow, it's starting to feel like this!"

The staff around also nodded, "The bone structure is so good, even if Teacher Xiao is a girl, she can still be a famous actress with this face."

The makeup artist is a young man in his twenties who recently got rid of his apprenticeship and started working on his own. He couldn't help but say excitedly: "This is my first time to do female makeup for a boy. I didn't expect the effect to be so good. Teacher Xiao's foundation is too good!"

They were making a lot of noise here. Director Yang came over with the notebook and took a look. He frowned and said, "Not qualified."

There was silence all around, Xiao Ziyu looked at himself in the mirror and felt that something was not quite right. Although he is good-looking, one can tell at a glance that he is a man dressed as a woman. If Fang Jingshi is exposed in the palace, he may be killed.

Seeing the makeup artist looking hesitant, he took the initiative and said, "Let me try it myself."

Even Director Yang was surprised. Chen Churan's eyes widened: "Brother Xiao, you can also put on makeup!"

"Yeah," Xiao Ziyu took off his old makeup without further explanation.

When he was in the opera theater, he sang the most female roles, mainly Qingyi and supplemented by Daomadan, so he had personally done all the female makeup styles.

Besides, there were not so many kinds of cosmetics back then. In order to adjust the color, he mixed black powder with clam powder, which could barely modify his appearance.

Xiao Ziyu didn't say anything and started by thinning his eyebrows. His eyebrows are not too dark and they curve down naturally. With a little modification, their entire face looks rounder, and people's attention will not be focused on the distinct brow bone.

He made slight improvements on the female makeup, omitting the heavy nose shadow and filling the grooves with highlights, making the originally three-dimensional eyebrows fuller and more beautiful.

The originally noisy dressing room gradually became quiet. The small dressing table was surrounded by people. Everyone watched as Xiao Ziyu's slender fingers moved around her face, gradually painting her face into a smooth, fair complexion.

"What kind of cold and aloof elder sister is this..." Chen Churan murmured.

Luo Li appeared at the door with a pile of clothes and headdresses, looking a little confused: "Where is Brother Xiao? I've brought the clothes, why can't I see him?"

The staff members all tried to hold back their laughter, and some teased him on purpose, "Your brother Xiao just left, so you won't be performing anymore."

"What's going on?" Luo Li looked around, put his clothes in his left hand, took out his cell phone and prepared to call someone.

Xiao Ziyu couldn't bear to tease him anymore, so he asked, "You don't recognize me anymore?"

Luo Li's expression froze, just like Granny Liu seeing the Grand View Garden: "Not...beautiful lady, who are you?"

Xiao Ziyu said helplessly: "Put on some clothes and try it."

Luo Li still didn't react. He was panic-stricken and even a little shy. Who could have thought that his brother Xiao's women's clothing was so perfect? ​​A closer look revealed that his bone structure had not changed, but there was an indescribable charming charm.

"Rowley is shy!" someone said, "His ears are red!"

"As expected, he is still a pure and innocent man, hahahaha!"

Luo Li was like a beagle whose tail was stepped on. He wanted to jump up and fight back, "You are the only ones who can say that!" But when he turned to face Xiao Ziyu, he became depressed again and handed the clothes over obediently, "Brother Xiao, go try it first."

Xiao Ziyu changed into a moon-white long dress, and her long hair fell naturally like a waterfall. Just looking at her back, she was slender and tall, with a graceful figure, and she actually grasped the style of the play perfectly.

An actor who was familiar with Zhou Qilin joked with him, "Brother Zhou, the pressure is on you now, so don't blush like Luo Li."

The usually calm actor smiled and waved his hand: "I'll try my best."

Shooting begins.

Fang Jingshi disguised himself and successfully followed Wei Zhouqi into the palace. This was his first time entering the palace, so he couldn't help feeling excited. The corners of his narrow eyes, which had been deliberately modified, were slightly tilted, adding a bit of playfulness to his calm and cold temperament.

"Are all these people coming and going eunuchs?" Fang Jingshi lowered his voice and asked close to Wei Zhouqi's ear.

"Well," Wei Zhouqi said, "Today the Queen is having a banquet, and these eunuchs were transferred from other palaces."

"Can they really cleanse themselves completely?" Fang Jingshi had been hanging around brothels for years and was particularly curious about the lower-class things.

Wei Zhouqi looked unnatural: "Of course. Besides, the palace will inspect the palace maids every year, and even if there are any incomplete ones, they will be trimmed."

"So tragic!" Fang Jingshi sighed. He wanted to ask something else when he saw a sedan chair wobbling over.

Wei Zhouqi led him aside to make way and said respectfully, "Greetings, my brother."

The people in the sedan chair were none other than the Crown Prince and his new wife, and Fang Jingshi’s elder brother Fang Jingxing was also sitting beside them!

Fang Jingshi lowered his eyebrows. He had medicine in his throat beforehand, so his voice was particularly soft and charming: "I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Wei Zhouqi had the lowest status among the princes. Not to mention the crown prince, even the teenage princes showed no respect to him.

The prince was already used to his suffocating look, and seeing him bring his female relatives into the palace, he couldn't help but be curious, "Fourth brother, are you planning to take a concubine?"

Wei Zhou Qi Dunhou smiled and said, "Whether I can marry you depends on what my father thinks."

"It's alright. I'll say a few good words for you then." The prince raised his chin and nodded at Fang Jingshi, "My beauty, raise your head too, so I can see if you are worthy of my fourth brother."

The new wife's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Fang Jingshi raised his head slowly, and felt that his elder brother's gaze was following him...

Wei Zhouqi beside him almost held his breath, his arms trembling slightly, and when he was about to say his lines, Director Yang shouted "Cut".

Zhou Qilin took the initiative to take the blame: "Mine, sorry."

Director Yang saw that he had noticed it, so he didn't say anything more, "Slow down or continue?"

"Slow down." Wei Zhouqi said.

The actor who played the role of Xin Fujin didn't notice the problem and asked quietly, "What's wrong? Didn't Teacher Zhou act very well?"

"The emotions are not in place." The actor who plays the prince explained to her, "Wei Zhouqi has been disguised in the palace for so many years, he will definitely not be provoked by one or two words from the prince. Even if he is worried that Fang Jingshi will be exposed, he will not show it so obviously. Just now, Brother Zhou's face was gloomy, and he was about to rush up to hit me."

"Maybe it's because Teacher Xiao's women's clothing is too stunning, so Teacher Zhou is nervous." The new wife said with a smile.

"It's hard to say," the prince also felt a little strange. He and Zhou Qilin had worked together more than once, and this kind of low-level emotional mistake should have been avoided.

It was almost lunch time, so Director Yang said directly, "Have a simple meal first and continue in the afternoon."

Xiao Ziyu lasted three or four hours from makeup to filming without a drop of water. Luo Li came over with a water bottle and fed him: "Brother Xiao, moisten your throat quickly."

Brother Kai went to get his lunch box, and the two of them found seats in the lounge area. Luo Li took out his phone and took a picture of Xiao Ziyu: "Brother Xiao, your makeup is really amazing. I didn't recognize you when you were sitting there just now!"

Xiao Ziyu saw him fiddling with his phone after taking the photo, and had a bad feeling: "What are you doing?"

Luo Li would always go to Zheng Hong for the smallest matters, so he said as a matter of course: "Take a picture and show it to my master. Although he is older than me, he has definitely never seen such a stunning man dressed as a woman!"

Xiao Ziyu was about to stop him: "Don't..."

Zheng Hong saw it, and Yuan Heng was not far away from seeing it. As for what the consequences might be, he didn't want to think about it. He felt that the sky was gray.

Sure enough, the next second, the cell phone rang.

"It's Teacher Yuan!" Ever since Xiao Ziyu signed with Yuantai, Luo Li was no longer surprised by Yuan Heng's behavior of calling him every now and then.

Xiao Ziyu held the phone as if he was holding a hot potato, but Luo Li was present, so he couldn't hang up on his boss. After some hesitation, Yuan Heng's face appeared on the screen. It was late at night over there, and he seemed to have just come out of the bathroom. His wet hair was pushed back, revealing his handsome face with sharp edges.

He was so handsome that people's eyes lit up, but the words he said were still unpleasant: "Xiao Ziyu, did you secretly change your sex?"

Yuan Heng: Why am I never there at such good times!